Cinemadamare International Film Festival Scholarship

Overview

Cinemadamare is a free international traveling filmmaking campus that runs across Italy during the summer months. Founded in 2003, it hosts approximately 300 filmmakers from over 60 countries each year, with a maximum of 100 participants at any given time. The program combines weekly short film production, masterclasses from internationally recognized filmmakers, open-air community screenings, and a competition for 50+ scholarships at partner universities worldwide.

Participation is entirely free. There are no registration fees, joining fees, accommodation fees, or transfer fees. Participants are responsible only for their own meals. Accommodation is provided in schools converted to hostels, with mattresses supplied. Free bus travel connects each tour stop. If you are a young filmmaker who wants to build an international network, produce short films in a new cultural context, and gain access to scholarship opportunities at film schools worldwide, Cinemadamare offers one of the most accessible international filmmaking programs available. Apply through the Cinemadamare sign-up page.

History

Cinemadamare was founded in 2003 by Franco Rina and his family in the small town of Gessopalena, Abruzzo. The concept emerged from a desire to bring international filmmakers to rural Italian communities and use film as a tool for cultural exchange. What began as a single-town event expanded to multiple stops across Italy, then added Spain and France to the route. Key milestones include the 2014 edition, which produced over 100 short films across 8 stops, and the 2020 pandemic pause, after which the program returned with expanded international partnerships. The 2026 edition features 12 stops across 3 countries and partners with 50+ universities. Past masterclass guests include Wim Wenders, Ken Loach, Giuseppe Tornatore, Paolo Sorrentino, and Marco Bellocchio. The Argo Cinemadamare award, launched in partnership with Grimaldi Lines, sends a winning filmmaker on a 40-day cargo ship voyage to shoot films at sea.

2026 Tour Schedule

The 2026 Cinemadamare traveling campus runs from June 26 through September 13, 2026, with 12 stops across Italy, Spain, and France:

For the 2026 edition, participation in the Venice Film Festival is suspended. In previous years, the tour concluded in Venice during the Venice International Film Festival.

What It Covers

Cinemadamare provides the following at no cost to participants:

• Accommodation: Schools converted to hostels, with mattresses provided at each stop
• Inter-stop transportation: Free bus travel between all tour stops
• Masterclasses: One to two per week, led by internationally recognized filmmakers. Past guests include Wim Wenders, Ken Loach, Giuseppe Tornatore, Amos Gitai, Paolo Sorrentino, Margarethe Von Trotta, Marco Bellocchio, Krisztof Zanussi, and Mohsen Makhamalbaf
• Weekly production: Participants shoot short films (maximum 10 minutes) each week in self-managed crews, with a weekly competition screening on the final night of each stop
• Open-air screenings: Professional films screened free each night at 21:00 in town squares, open to participants and local residents
• Production meetings: Each stop begins with a 10:00 AM production meeting where filmmakers discuss the films they want to make and what they need

Participants are responsible for their own meals throughout the program.

Scholarships and Awards

Cinemadamare's competition awards scholarships at partner universities and film schools worldwide. The winning filmmakers choose from a database of 50+ scholarships at institutions across Italy, Europe, and beyond. The first prize winner selects their scholarship from the full list of 50, the second from 49, and so on.

Partner institutions include:

• CSC - Centro Sperimentale Cinematografia (Rome): CSC LAB Bonus, 8 elective courses
• Scuola Civica di Cinema Luchino Visconti (Milan)
• Conservatorio di Salerno
• IULM (Libera Universita di Lingue e Comunicazione, Milan)
• UNINT (Universita degli Studi Internazionali, Rome)
• Universita degli studi Suor Orsola Benincasa (Naples)
• SDAC: Scuola D'Arte Cinematografica (Genoa)
• MADE Program (Accademia di Belle Arti, Syracuse, Sicily)
• Accademia del Cinema Renoir (Rome)
• Sapienza, University of Rome
• ROMA TRE, Universita degli studi (Rome)
• Universita degli Studi della Basilicata (Potenza)
• Scuola Romana di Fumetti (Rome)
• Scuola Internazionale Comics (Florence)
• Universita Libera di Cinema (Rome)
• Scuola d'Arte Cinematografica Florestano Vancini (Ferrara)
• Tuscany Film Academy (Lucca)

Argo Cinemadamare: In addition to university scholarships, partner Grimaldi Lines offers the Argo Cinemadamare award, where the winning filmmaker spends 40 days on a cargo ship traveling around the world with the opportunity to shoot films during the voyage.

Eligibility

Past Recipients

Cinemadamare does not publish a formal winners list by year. The competition awards scholarships weekly at each stop, with a final competition at the end of the tour. The first prize winner selects from the full database of 50+ university scholarships, the second from 49, and so on down the list.

Recent partner institutions that have received Cinemadamare scholars include CSC Centro Sperimentale Cinematografia in Rome, Scuola Civica di Cinema Luchino Visconti in Milan, and Sapienza University of Rome. The Argo Cinemadamare award, sponsored by Grimaldi Lines, sends one filmmaker on a 40-day cargo ship voyage around the world to shoot films during the journey.

Past participants have come from over 60 countries, including filmmakers from Brazil, Japan, Nigeria, Germany, India, the United States, and Argentina. Many participants use the Cinemadamare network to build international co-production relationships that continue after the program ends.

What Made Their Application Stand Out

Cinemadamare does not select participants through a competitive jury process. The sign-up form functions as a registration, not an application. Acceptance depends on available spots at each tour stop, with a cap of 100 participants at any given time. The competition for scholarships happens during the program itself, not before it. Weekly short films are screened at each stop, and judges select the best film of the week. Filmmakers who stand out in the weekly competitions tend to form international crews quickly, adapt to limited resources, and deliver complete films within the 7-day production window at each stop. The scholarship winners are those whose weekly films demonstrate strong storytelling under time pressure, not technical perfection.

Renewal Requirements

Cinemadamare is not a renewable scholarship. Participants can return in subsequent years by signing up again through the website. There is no limit on the number of years a filmmaker can participate. The 50+ university scholarships awarded through the competition are one-time awards, each with its own terms set by the partner institution. The Argo Cinemadamare cargo ship award is a one-time experience. Participants who win a university scholarship must comply with the enrollment and academic requirements of the specific partner institution they choose.

How to Apply

Applications are submitted through the Cinemadamare sign-up form. The form requires:

1. Personal information: Name, contact details, age
2. Dates of participation: Arrival and departure dates (must be between June 15 and September 15, 2026, with a minimum stay of 3 weeks)
3. Role: What you bring to the filmmaking community (director, actor, sound technician, etc.)
4. Equipment: What equipment you can bring (e.g., videocamera)

There is no application fee. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis. The program caps at approximately 100 participants at any given time, so early application is recommended for preferred dates.

Daily Structure

A standard day at Cinemadamare follows this rhythm:

• 10:00 AM: Production meeting at each new stop. All filmmakers discuss the films they want to make that week and what they need
• Daytime (and sometimes nighttime): Making films. The 100 filmmakers present shoot their films throughout the week, organized in self-managed crews
• Twice per week: Workshops and masterclasses with international cinema professionals
• 9:00 PM: Open-air cinema in the town square. Professional films screened free for participants and local residents, often with special guests
• Last night of each stop: Weekly Competition. All films shot that week (approximately 20) are screened, and the best film is awarded. The next day, the tour moves to the next stop

What Filmmakers Should Know

Cinemadamare charges nothing for participation, making it one of the most accessible international filmmaking programs available. Your only costs are travel to Italy and meals during your stay, which typically runs $1,500 to $3,000 depending on duration and origin. The program provides accommodation, inter-stop transportation, masterclasses, and a production environment. The key trade-off is comfort: you sleep on mattresses in converted school buildings and eat meals you arrange yourself. With 300 participants from 60+ countries, the self-managed crew structure means you work directly with filmmakers from different traditions each week. The 50+ scholarship database provides pathways to formal film education at institutions across Italy and Europe. If you do not own a camera, the collaborative crew structure lets you pool resources, but bringing at least a basic recording device increases your ability to contribute. The minimum stay of 3 weeks lets you produce 3 short films across 3 stops.

Watch

See Also

For building a film festival submission strategy, see Film Festival Strategy. To estimate costs for traveling to and participating in international programs, use the Indie Film Budget Calculator. For evaluating which festivals offer the best return on investment, use the Festival ROI Calculator.